printOn the one hand, Gerald A. Sandusky, the alleged perpetrator in the Penn State football sexual abuse scandal, did a lot of good. He founded The Second Mile program, which was designed to help boys from troubled backgrounds. The charity’s chapters have now sprung up across the commonwealth. Sandusky was “the primary fund raiser” for Second Mile. He raised millions for this good cause—but he also likely sexually abused at least 8 recipients of his charity, if not many more.
Yes, the Grand Jury’s Findings of Fact are quite damning, as there is ample corroborating evidence provided by witnesses other than Sandusky’s victims, as well as phone records chronicling Sandusky’s obsessive preoccupation with this or the other victim. (Sixty phone calls to a teenage boy?) There were expensive gifts as well. When the mother of victim #six complained to University Police after her boy was returned home hair wet from showering with Sandusky, the investigation was abruptly terminated.
In a conversation with that mom (recorded by police), Sandusky said he wished he were dead. A very twisted and tormented man is this. A married man, no less. A little less hysteria and a lot more factual reporting in the media, and you’d learn that Sandusky is indeed married and has adopted children. My, my, what an intricate web he wove and what a generous helping hand he got from the authorities.
The worst testimony comes from a 28-year-old “graduate assistant” who witnessed Sandusky in the locker room’s showers having sex with a boy aged ten! This incident was never reported to the police, university and other. The victim was not identified.
Nevertheless, as bad as the evidence appears to be, let the man have his day in a court of law.
Ironically, Sandusky the pervert (alleged but likely) gets a day in court while Joe Paterno gets fired in mid-season without any formal hearing, defense, etc….
Another media frenzy in search of scapegoats
On the other hand (which has not much to do with sex scandals), I see no reason why non-profit Universities should be operating semi-professional football and basketball teams. The hypocrisy of “Division One Student-Athletes” NCAA etc. is appalling.
An interesting perspective on the current witch hunt from a writer who helped combat the insanity on the (non-existent) Duke Lacrosse rape case [as did BAB; in 2007, we coined the verb to Nifong]:
http://lewrockwell.com/anderson/anderson326.html
And let those who covered it up answer for it as well. It appears the university is a criminal organization, same as the Catholic Church.
This is a horrible story to say the least. Sandusky does deserve his day in court just as does anyone arrested for allegedly commiting a crime in this country. As the investigation unfolds this will probably get even uglier. Between perverted school teachers, coaches and the assorted nuts running around, are children safe anywhere?
As you say he is an obviously twisted and tormented man. But, he has to answer for his acts. I wonder about all the enablers who helped him to live this torn and tormented life when they could have stopped him. There were many people who must have known about this deal besides Joe Paterno, the president of the university and the assistant coach who first blew the whistle so many years ago. What about the current interim coach? He was an insider in the program for many years. What about many others who obviously knew? Sandusky is a demon possessed wretch who needs help but that doesn’t absolve so many others who could have stood tall to protect children and failed to do so. Sandusky will answer for his acts. The enablers would answer too.
“What should be done with pedophiles?”
I know you do not post exhortation to violence, ilana, but my uncle recommended swift justice.
He did so in response to the arrest of a pedophile in suburban Maryland. I had asked him what can be done with pedophiles.
Uncle Jack was a retired Washington, D.C. homicide detective and the man who investigated the Hanafi Muslim massacre. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1977_Hanafi_Siege
Some of the stories he told to me were hair raising.
I guess it’s important for the government thugs to pretend that we still have the rule of law in this country. It keeps the rubes from realizing that they live under an elected dictatorship.
As for Sandusky, if the allegations are true, the man certainly victimized more people than that rabble rouser al-Alawki ever did. Why doesn’t Obama send in the drones and take Sandusky out? It would save us the trouble of funding his day in court, and given the blood-thirsty nature of the average American, it might even result in a boost in the polls!
After all, from a politician’s perspective, establishing the truth and meting out justice takes a back seat to getting re-elected. Let’s really fight the war against child molestation. Send in the drones!
As Arendt and Milgram showed, we are exceptionally conditioned to listen to hierarchies. We flounder when we are not told what to do.
But notice even the hierarchy did not offer to go to the police with the witnesses.
The press will have a field day with Penn St. administrators, citing a reluctance to tarnish the University for the reason. And rightly so.
But in my experience with finding fraud and other nefarious activity in large organizations, the issue is in a way more ingrained than that, which may in the long run be worse. In such cases it is often necessary to literally walk the witness or confessor to the authorities, and otherwise babysit them.
Perhaps the shock of reality also engenders a denial reaction. I don’t know what causes the deer-in-the-headlights response, but I’ve seen it too often before to believe it is just Penn St. reputation that produced the unsatisfactory response.
I read on one of the blog about Joe Paterno being fired. I thought it was Steve Sailer; but, can’t find the article. But the article referred to a national news report. I read the report and it stated that Joe Paterno had reported it to the administrator of the Campus Police, since it was a crime under his authority. That person took no action; which, would mean that Joe Paterno is not the bad guy he is accused to be. I know I read it, just can’t provide a link. Perhaps someone else can.